O-12 Formic Acid Decomposition for Hydrogen Production over Molybdenum Carbide Prepared by Using Lignin as the Carbon Source

Abstract

In this work, molybdenum carbide catalysts were prepared by using alkaline or dealkaline lignin (DAL) as the carbon sources and supporting materials. The catalysts were prepared by the wet impregnation method followed with the carbonization at 800°C under an argon gas flow and characterized by XRD and FT-IR. The effect of the lignin type on the performance of the as-prepared molybdenum carbide catalyst for formic acid decomposition was investigated. Formic acid decomposition was performed in a temperature range of 150-350°C and the gas products were analyzed by using GC-TCD. It is found that the catalyst prepared by using dealkaline lignin as the carbon source showed better catalytic activity and the best catalytic performance was found when 2.5% Mo-DAL catalysts was used, on which the highest TOF reached 152 mol_H2‧ mol_Mo^-1‧ h^-1 at 250°C while the selectivity towards carbon monoxide was as low as 0.7 mol%.